37: Join the Red Tiger Gang, Ansheng Casino
Hearing this, Qin Jiang’s eyes flickered, tears welled up at the corners, and a strange melancholic emotion surged into his heart.
But in reality, he was very calm at this moment.
He knew that this sadness did not come from him, but was an instinctive reaction of this body.
“What happened?” he asked.
Wang Minglang looked up at Qin Jiang; although tears were already flowing uncontrollably, he still struggled to maintain his composure.
He’s stronger than this old man.
He sighed, “She encountered a Bizarre when she was on a mission and didn’t come back. She’s missing.”
Qin Jiang nodded at this, “It’s good that she didn’t come back; missing doesn’t mean dead.”
Wang Minglang also subconsciously nodded. Yes, no news is good news.
However, for someone who went missing after encountering a Bizarre, the chance of returning, if not zero, is extremely slim; it’s basically a death sentence.
He never thought that one day he would experience a white-haired person burying a black-haired person. He had high hopes for Qin Hong; she should have gone much further.
At this thought, he slightly lowered his eyes, his hair seemed to have whitened a bit more, and the aura of old age on him seemed to have materialized.
A moment later, he looked up at Qin Jiang, “You want to join the Red Tiger Gang?”
Qin Jiang nodded, “Yes, I don’t want to wait any longer. The City is becoming more and more dangerous, and I want to get the Red Tiger Fist Manuscript as soon as possible.”
Wang Minglang looked at him with complex eyes, continuously puffing on his large pipe.
It wasn't until a thin layer of smoke filled the room that he slowly spoke, “Joining the Red Tiger Gang might lead to death.”
Qin Jiang sat down on a chair, picked up a wine bowl, and took a sip.
Wang Minglang slightly raised his hand, a little surprised, “Hey, that was for your sister… Never mind, you drink it.”
Qin Jiang was startled, then drained the wine in one gulp, and immediately a burning sensation flowed down his throat into his stomach.
“Uncle Wang, I know I might die, but if I don’t join the Red Tiger Gang, will I not die?”
He looked earnestly at Wang Minglang, “Uncle Wang, in this chaotic world, only by wielding power can one survive!
Constant avoidance is merely an act of cowardice, no different from drinking poison to quench thirst! It will only lead to self-destruction!”
Wang Minglang’s body trembled, and he looked at Qin Jiang with shaking eyes; after the astonishment came joy.
He burst out laughing, a glint of moisture in his eyes, “Hahahahaha! Yes! You’re right! I never thought that an old man who has lived for nearly a century would become muddled instead!”
He grabbed Qin Jiang’s wrist, “Let’s go! Jiang’er, to the Red Tiger Gang!”
Leaving the courtyard, the two headed straight for the Inner City’s North Gate. When passing through the gate, Wang Minglang showed a crimson token, and the County Soldiers guarding it let them pass without even asking a question.
Qin Jiang took the opportunity to observe; one side of the crimson token was engraved with the character ‘Wang’, and the other side was a bas-relief of a fierce tiger descending a mountain.
Entering the Inner City, the North Market had not yet closed, and many people were still strolling around.
The Inner City no longer had a curfew; even the County Magistrate himself was encouraging night markets.
They didn’t enter the North Market; instead, they bypassed it and headed towards Chongren Ward, one of the sixteen wards.
Before long, after crossing two small bridges and several streets, they stopped in front of a gambling house.
Qin Jiang looked over; the gambling house had many entrances, each covered by two gray cloths. The left one read ‘An’, and the right one read ‘Sheng’.
Together, they formed the name of this gambling house—Ansheng Gambling House, which was also the largest gambling house in Black Mountain City.
Outside the dozen or so doors of the gambling house, each entrance was guarded by two Gang Disciples to prevent those who broke the rules from escaping.
“Look, this is one of our… this is one of the Red Tiger Gang’s properties. The words ‘An Sheng’ are taken from the names of County Magistrate Song Xiaoan and County Lieutenant Long Yuesheng. Anyone with eyes wouldn’t dare cause trouble here,” Wang Minglang said.
The two lifted the door curtain and walked in; a smell of smoke and sweet wine assailed them.
Although oil lamps were lit on the pillars all around, the interior of the gambling house still appeared somewhat dim and chaotic.
All sorts of people moved back and forth; some, dressed in tattered sackcloth, were hardly better than beggars, while others were Young Masters in luxurious clothes, embracing girls, holding silver money, and placing bets from time to time.
From time to time, screams rang out, some excited, some frustrated.
Qin Jiang looked at one of the crowded gambling tables; the gamblers, with bloodshot eyes and distorted Faces, shouted loudly, completely in a state of madness.
In the corner, where seats were provided for rest, many people were lying, sitting, or even squatting, but almost every one of them looked ashen, a stark contrast to the frenzied gamblers at the tables.
After a quick glance, he stopped watching; he had no interest in gambling.
Wang Minglang shook his head; he had seen too many people addicted to gambling, and not a few had lost their lives or had their families ruined because of it.
Or rather, as long as you keep gambling, you will eventually lose everything you own.
“Let’s go, we’ll go inside,” he said.
The two passed through the gambling table area and came to a slightly larger open space behind the casino.
A huge cabinet displayed liquor, and beyond the edge of the cabinet was a cloth curtain, embroidered with a crimson tiger descending a mountain.
More than twenty Gang Disciples in black cloth clothes gathered in front of the cabinet.
Some were drinking, some were smoking pipes, and several were gathered at a table playing Pai Gow.
One of them was lying back in a reclining chair, seemingly the leader of this group.
“Hey! What are you doing here?”
At the Pai Gow table, a Gang Disciple walked over, his Face fierce, his head slightly tilted back, carrying an air of condescending arrogance.
Looking at the two opposite him, he couldn’t help but feel strange.
Ansheng Gambling House was not a good place. What was an old man almost in his grave doing here with a guy who was clearly a novice?
Although this novice looked tall and seemed to be a martial artist, he could discern that kind of temperament at a glance.
His voice was not quiet, immediately attracting the attention of the Gang Disciples behind him.
“Old Sun, stop talking nonsense, hurry up and finish so we can get back to playing cards!” someone at the Pai Gow table shouted over.
The small leader who had been lying in the reclining chair was also woken up, raised his head, frowned, and glanced at Qin Jiang and the other, then his eyes widened.
Old Sun waved his hand without looking back, then turned to Wang Minglang, “Did you hear that? Is there something you need? If not, get out of here! Don’t get in the way!”
Bang!
As soon as he finished speaking, he was slapped on the back of his head from behind, falling flat on his Face.
“Damn it, get out of the way! You don’t even recognize Fourth Master?!”
After speaking, the small leader wore a fawning smile, appearing somewhat cautious, “Fourth Master, you… why are you here? And this young man is?”
He looked at Qin Jiang, who was standing to the side.
“You don’t need to call me Fourth Master anymore; I haven’t been for a long time. Who is in charge of the gambling house now?” Wang Minglang asked.
The small leader nodded slightly, “Ah, Fourth Master, it’s Elder Nie. Our Fourth Hall’s Hall Master position is vacant, and Elder Nie is temporarily in charge.”
At this point, his expression became somewhat ugly; Elder Nie Dongsheng, that old thing, was too greedy for money.
Previous Hall Masters only took thirty percent, but this old fellow Nie Dongsheng demanded fifty percent as soon as he arrived, and these days he even wants to increase it to sixty percent! He’s simply insatiable!
Wang Minglang also frowned slightly upon hearing this. Why was it this guy?
After thinking for a moment, he pulled Qin Jiang, intending to leave, “Our luck is a bit bad, let’s go somewhere else.”
However, before they had even taken two steps, the door curtain beyond the edge of the cabinet behind them was suddenly lifted.
“Old Wang! In such a hurry to leave! Aren’t you going to have a drink with your brother? Are you not giving me, Old Nie, enough Face?!”